Ban on BPA passes in Washington state

Saturday

The Washington state Senate yesterday voted 36-9 to approve a ban on the chemical bisphenol A in baby bottles, sippy cups and other food containers designed for use by children 3 or younger.

The House passed a similar measure earlier this week, but it included the reusable sports bottles popular with hikers. The two houses will have to work out the differences between the two bills, but it now seems all but certain that Washington will become the third state to ban bisphenol A (known as BPA) in some products.

Connecticut and Minnesota have outlawed some BPA products, and several other states are expected to debate similar measures soon.

Bisphenol A is found in many hard plastics, most canned foods, and everything from printed receipts to some plastic piping. Exposure has been linked to brain, behavioral and prostate problems in children and fetuses, but most findings are based on studies involving animals.

Studies have associated BPA with a host of health problems.

The Food and Drug Administration earlier this month for the first time said it was expressing “some concern” about BPA’s effects and would spend $30 million doing more research.

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